Abstract

Background

Binge drinking (BD) seems to be related to health and social complications among adolescents.
Considering that knowledge about BD in developing countries is limited and that in
Brazil high socioeconomic status is a risk factor for alcohol abuse, this study sheds
light about this phenomenon among adolescents from a different cultural background
than prior North-American and European studies.

Methods

Brazilian students (n = 2691) selected through a representative, stratified and clustered
sampling method were asked to answer a self-report questionnaire. The questionnaire
contained questions about patterns of alcohol consumption, religious beliefs, leisure
activities, family structure and relationships. Data were analyzed with basic contingency
tables with Chi-square tests followed by a decision tree analysis and weighted logistic
regression.

Results

Almost thirty-five percent of the students reported recent binge drinking. BD in the
past month was positively associated with older age (aOR = 1.5[1.2-1.7]), male gender
(aOR = 1.5[1.2-2.0]) going out with friends almost every night (aOR = 33.9[14.2-80.7]),
not living with mother (aOR = 2.4[1.3-4.7]), believing in God with little conviction
(aOR = 1.6[1.2-2.0]) and rarely talking to parents about anything (aOR = 1.7[1.3-2.2])
or always about drugs (aOR = 1.8[1.3-2.5]). Factors inversely associated with BD were:
paying lower monthly tuition fees (aOR = 0.5[0.4-0.9]), living with people who do
not get drunk (aOR = 0.6[0.4-0.7]) and frequent engagement in worships (aOR = 0.7[0.5-0.9]).

Conclusion

The habit of BD in adolescents enrolled in private high schools in Brazil is strongly
linked to the frequency with which they go out with friends at night. Factors such
as religiosity, expressed by trust in God and participation in worship, and being
enrolled in a school with cheaper tuition fees were associated with avoidance of BD
in this population.